Convenience

Part 125

Beatrice had to take Peter out of the Church earlier, because he was grizzling and howling! So they were outside when David and Sarah arrived. And as expected, Peter only stopped grizzling when he saw his dad. So they took a couple of minutes to settle Peter before David gave Peter back to Beatrice. They agreed that the best thing to do was to follow David and Sarah down the aisle. 

While David and Sarah continued to the altar, she reached her seat. And given that Mike was taller than Beatrice he took Peter, to keep him happy as Peter could see his dad. Peter liked looking at his father! Like her! Beatrice smiled as she watched Mike and Peter. For a teenager, Mike was great with Peter. In fact, the whole Jones family were great with Peter. 

Nearly six years ago, when reality came into view, Beatrice took the chance: She moved in with David. Anyone who saw them now wouldn't know that they had such a difficult start in their relationship. From phone calls to dates to living together, adopting the Jones family and having an unexpected baby! Six years!

David gave Sarah a kiss on her cheek over her veil, and left the altar. He came and sat beside Beatrice. And past Beatrice, Peter automatically reached for David. David took the toddler, shifted him to his other arm. David leaned toward Beatrice, and murmured seeing her tears. "You ok?" Beatrice nodded she wanted to melt against him. It was a normal action. David wasn't surprised to see the glowing pleasure and desire in her eyes. He smiled, could see her happy tears in her eyes, and reached into his pocket and retrieved a tissue. He knew she would be crying at this wedding. He handed the tissue to Beatrice, and she snuggled closer. She smiled. She sniffed, rubbed her nose. David dropped his arm around her waist and drew her toward him, and carried on holding onto Peter, while he pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered, "You have my heart." Beatrice nodded, leaned closer and acknowledged him. He said that to her everyday. And his words still had an impact on her heart. One arm was holding Peter securely and his other arm was around Beatrice's waist. They stayed in that cuddle.

David and Beatrice watched the couple at the altar as the ceremony continued. The people at the altar were childhood sweethearts, but David knew it was different for him when had married Beatrice, he wasn't in love with her back then. But he knew he was in love with Beatrice now. He had gone to her office to ask for a divorce, but instead he had fallen for her. And over the last six years, he had just kept falling in love with her, more every day, and he knew he would stay in love with her. Forever.

Their first year together was hard. But over six months, David had all but torn down walls: her and his walls. Until they both trusted each other.  But, for David, days of just talking on the phone, was driving him mad! Not seeing her, thinking about her, was driving him insane. So a couple of weeks later David suggested that they should take a chance, put themselves out there, and go out on a date! She recognised that moment: taking a chance. And it was as if a piece of a jigsaw locked into place. Trust. Things had changed. That included meetings with others.  He took his time with introductions, making sure Beatrice was not overwhelmed. He kept a hold of her hand as he negotiated their pathways through various groups of people, his friends, his associations. People were curious about their relationship. And even more people noted that David held Beatrice's hand and everyone could see they fit.

Beatrice leaned on his shoulder, snuggled against him, despite the audience. Their marriage wasn't built on a fairy tale promise. Their marriage worked: Understanding their early experiences, their future wants and their desires.  Supportive and flexible: to grow, that is why time flew and their love had flourished. David knew without a shadow of a doubt that he believed in love and that he definitely was in love with Beatrice. In David's head and in his heart he knew she was it: His soul mate. What Beatrice realised over the six years was that while people can change a bit, the essential and basic part of that person would always be there. And what she knew and what she saw with David, she loved. She realised every day she knew that she loved him more than she loved him the day before.

David and Beatrice started to live together about six months after that fatefully day when David came to her office. At the time, Beatrice hoped she wasn't going to regret taking this step. But the truth of the matter was that she wanted to see whether they could live together. She needed him to get to see her, properly, and that meant lowering her guard and trusting him not to hurt her. So they started to live together. Love emerged there. But it took trust to reach this.

Five years ago, David and Beatrice adopted three orphans: Sarah, Mike and Mabel Jones. Back then, Sarah was fifteen, Mike was twelve, and Mabel was eight and the kids wanted to keep their surname. Then two years ago Beatrice got pregnant. A complete shock! Having a biological child, was slim, a 5 per cent, really slim, but they were the lucky people who were in that 5 per cent! They already felt like a family, with Sarah, Mike, Mabel. And it was great that the kids, like, Beatrice and David, were delighted by the news! So within 5 years of living together, they had a family of four kids! Sarah, Mike, Mabel were great kids, but Peter was a terrible toddler! Probably because they all pampered him!

Beatrice and David watched Sarah and their soon to be son-in-law, John,  as they made their vows. John had gone out with Sarah for ages, even before the Jones children were adopted. Beatrice and David liked John and gave him their blessing. When Sarah said that she wanted a marriage like Beatrice and David's marriage, David and Beatrice laughed. So they told them about their convenience marriage and the start of their marriage. The kids were baffled because it didn't fit their observations of David and Beatrice's relationship. Sarah, Mike, Mabel knew that Beatrice and David were married for nearly 6 years when they adopted them and over the next five years they saw a happy, loving couple. They were always laughing, talking, touching, kissing, hugging and they never went to bed without sorting out their arguments! The kids thought Beatrice and David's marriage was like that from the start: thoughtful and selfless. And so in love.

When the priest told John he could kiss his wife David turned around and smiled down at Beatrice. She smiled back. Their eyes remained locked on each other as they remembered what they said to each other when they went out for that 'bet-date' last year. She said, she couldn't see living for the rest of her life without him. She said she knew she could handle anything if he was beside her. She said she trusted him and loved him. In response David told her she made him stronger and she was the wife that he always wanted. He couldn't see living for the rest of his life without her. That he loved her, and would always love her. So today, totally unconcerned about their audiences, David leaned towards Beatrice and kissed her. 

                                                                 ---------The End---------